A Salute to Moms . . .

This Sunday is Mother's Day, and I think we all need to take some time out to salute Mom for all she does. She's fed us, clothed us, packed our school lunches, cleaned our skinned knees and held our hair while we were sick in the toilet, all while dispensing valuable life advice and helping to make us into the people we are today.

My mom as a teenager

My mom and I have had our ups and downs since I became an adult, as you would expect with two strong-willed, control-freak women;) But, in spite of any difficulties, she will always be my mom, there with a word of encouragement,  a kick in the pants, or a hug.

My mom with her mom, who passed away a few years ago.

My mom is the person who taught me how to be a woman, showed me how to wear heels without falling down, helped me apply makeup for the first time, let me color my hair any color I wanted. She sat on the front porch with me countless evenings while I lamented boys or cried over a broken heart. She's debated religion and politics with me endlessly. She was my steady voice over the phone lines while I struggled with depression in college, answering my 3am calls whenever I needed to hear a friendly voice to tell me the world was not actually ending.

My birthday dinner last year: Me, my mom, and Tabitha

From my mom, I learned the most important thing: you can be anything you want to be. Just set your mind to it, and do it. She never told me anything I thought was stupid, never discouraged me from any goal. She's supported me through every up and down, and when I get that Oscar someday, she'll be right there at the very top of my thank you list.

Yes; she really is that tiny.

Hug your moms this Sunday, and tell them how much you appreciate everything they do for you, and have done. It can be a tiring, thankless job, but I don't know any moms that would trade a single moment of it.

Thanks, Mom.